Anchoring in the Trump Era

I do not normally add a post until the 5th of each month. In this case, I think I have to.

Trump is, for better or worse, a positional negotiator.

He is going to anchor in an extreme position and then assume you will bargain him down.

His statements the first week of his election show his pattern to be true. Outrageous anchors with the expectation (I feel) that he will be bargained down.

The risk for him is that his opponents understand him and anchor in an equally outrageous position and that the two sides will meet in the middle.

Trump has shown himself to be a classic negotiator. He will stake out an opening position that makes the other side suck breath with anxiety in the hope that they will cave in and move towards his position.

The answer is to stake out your position FIRST! Then he will have to respond. While the settlement often arrives in the middle or close to the middle, by anchoring first you take away his advantage.